A strange sound after takeoff raises fresh questions in the fatal crash.
New details continue to emerge after a deadly plane crash in North Carolina that killed former NASCAR star Greg Biffle and six others. A friend of the pilot shared a troubling detail about what may have happened just after takeoff.
The crash happened on December 18 at Statesville Regional Airport. Biffle traveled with his wife, Cristina, their two children Emma and Ryder, and three others. All seven died when Biffle’s private Cessna C550 jet failed to land safely after takeoff.
A longtime friend of pilot Dennis Dutton claims the plane made a “loud pop” just moments into the flight. The comment adds new questions as investigators work to determine what went wrong during Greg Biffle’s short trip.
Jonathan Donahue, a former neighbor of Dutton, spoke with The US Sun about the pilot’s experience and character. He stressed that Dutton knew how to handle emergencies. “Dennis had been flying for 40 years,” Donahue said. “I imagine it was a mechanical error because he was a great leader. I couldn’t imagine anything being his fault.”
Biffle’s Plane Had A Possible Mechanical Failure
Donahue said the noise occurred right after takeoff. “All I know is that there was a large, loud pop, like something broke on the plane at takeoff,” he said. “He immediately had to turn around and make an emergency landing.”
Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace had that same belief, which he pointed out on his YouTube channel. Wallace said he thought Greg Biffle’s plane lost an engine. “I think the plane took off, I think they lost a motor,” Wallace said. “They decide to come back. The flaps are down, and they don’t have any horsepower. They just didn’t make it to the runway.”
Public flight data supports the idea of trouble shortly after takeoff. WCNC chief meteorologist Brad Panovich said the jet lifted off, then circled back toward the airport. He said the path suggested a problem in the air.
The FAA confirmed that Biffle’s jet crashed while trying to land. Officials have not shared a final cause yet. Investigators continue to examine the wreckage.
The tragedy also carried a chilling final message. Cristina Biffle sent her mother, Cathy Grossu, a text just before the crash. “We’re in trouble, emergency landing,” the message said. Grossu shared the text, “We’re devastated,” she said.
The family planned to fly to Florida for a birthday trip. The short flight ended in heartbreak instead.
